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Ben

4x Founder 1 Exit, 12 yrs Board Director, Fractional Operator & Startup Coach Seed to Series to Exit

About Me

I partner with funded companies (Seed–Series D) when growth stalls, complexity spikes, or the business simply outgrows its operating system. My work blends founder experience, corporate scale, and hard-earned judgment from 20+ years operating in high-stakes environments. I’ve built four companies across Hong Kong, Switzerland, Spain, and the UK. I’ve raised $2.2M pre-product off a deck and a vision, led a hard pivot to AI, secured backing from the Asian Development Bank ($150B AUM), and grew the business to $1M ARR within the first year. Before startups, I spent a decade advising some of Southeast Asia’s most influential business families on $200M–$400M infrastructure investments, founding the companies to deliver those projects and onboarding large operational teams. I’ve negotiated hundreds of millions in enterprise deals, run 120-person delivery teams, and scaled project portfolios from $5M → $22M. At Streamr, I led Marketplace, Partnerships, and Labs as we grew from 5 to 30+ people following a $32M raise. My consulting units have reached ~$2M ARR, and my advisory work spans AI, healthcare, mobility, deep tech, data, infrastructure, and financial services. In the past 12 months, I’ve supported 24 startups — several backed by Antler, Outlier Ventures, and other leading VCs. Results include four companies hitting $1M+ revenue within 16 months, a turnaround from near-collapse to profitability in four months, and multiple teams doubling MRR in under a year. I help founders tighten their operating rhythm, solve complex problems, sharpen their decision-making, and navigate fundraising, GTM resets, pivots, investor pressure, and early M&A conversations. I speak at Google HQ, the United Nations, and the World Economic Forum on AI, innovation, and systems change. My approach is straightforward: no theatre, no templates-for-the-sake-of-it, just clear thinking, honest conversations, and execution that moves the business forward. If you’re scaling something ambitious and want steadier leadership, sharper decisions, and a partner who’s been there at every stage — let’s talk.

Jurisdiction

United States | United Kingdom | United Arab Emirates | Canada | Philippines | Vietnam | Singapore | Malaysia | Finland | Switzerland | Spain | Netherlands

Experience

Seniority LevelBoard
Years of Experience20+ years
Current StatusActive
Fractional Operator & Business CoachBen Sheppard
2013 - Present

I work with funded companies (Seed–Series D) to solve complex problems, regain momentum, and operate at a higher level. My role typically combines strategic clarity, leadership support, and hands-on execution across product, GTM, and operations. Selected achievements - Raised $2.2M pre-product, pivoted to AI, secured ADB seed funding, and grew to $1M ARR in 12 months. - Served as buy-side advisor on a $67M acquisition and led feasibility/design for over twenty, $200M–$400M infrastructure projects. - Scaled a regional portfolio from $5M → $22M and managed 120 staff across Southeast Asia. - Built consulting units to ~$2M ARR, -Won and delivered major enterprise clients, including Bloomberg, Rockefeller, HSBC, UnionBank, WWF, ADB, ATOS, Nokia, and others. - Negotiated hundreds of millions in enterprise contracts across AI, health, mobility, infrastructure, sustainability, and data. Supported 24 startups in 12 months: – 4 companies hit $1M+ revenue within 16 months – Multiple MRR doubles (15k→30k, 30k→60k) – Turnaround from near-collapse → profitable in four months How I work Install an operating rhythm that reduces chaos and accelerates execution Support leadership teams through complexity, conflict, and fast decisions Bring clarity to strategy, prioritisation, GTM, and organisational design Help founders communicate with conviction to boards, investors, and teams Drive progress on critical initiatives until the business stabilises or scales Industries AI, robotics, SaaS, infrastructure, sustainability, marketplaces, mobility, education, agriculture, healthcare, maritime, construction, and deep tech.

Education

Degree of BA Hons Business ManagementStaffordshire University
2000 - 2004

Skills

Core skills8
Languages1

Skills

Strategy
scaling
turnarounds
fundrasing
startups
Product market fit
Go to market
operations

Languages

English

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